


Festive Starts

by Kivea



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Holidays, M/M, Mistletoe, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 06:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17198492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivea/pseuds/Kivea
Summary: No one knew who put it up. They stood staring at the offending plant that hung oh so innocently in front of the door that lead from their lounge in the Atlas to the many hallways that made up the ship. Pidge’s face was scrunched up with no attempt to hide her disgust. Hunk had a feeling that given the look on Lance’s face it was possibly something his friend had schemed, but he wasn’t going to call him out on it in the middle of the room.“What is it exactly?” Allura asked with a furrowed brow. “Some kind of...berry plant?”“It’s a bad joke, is what it is,” Pidge grumbled as she continued to glare up.





	Festive Starts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eightbluetrafficlights](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eightbluetrafficlights/gifts).



> Part of the Winter Shklance Exchange for eightbluetrafficlights! I know it's very cutesy and silly, but it's very me so I hope that you enjoy it!!

No one knew who put it up. They stood staring at the offending plant that hung oh so innocently in front of the door that lead from their lounge in the Atlas to the many hallways that made up the ship. Pidge’s face was scrunched up with no attempt to hide her disgust. Hunk had a feeling that given the look on Lance’s face it was possibly something his friend had schemed, but he wasn’t going to call him out on it in the middle of the room. 

“What  _is_ it exactly?” Allura asked with a furrowed brow. “Some kind of...berry plant?” 

“It’s a bad joke, is what it is,” Pidge grumbled as she continued to glare up. “Someone give me a boost, I’m pulling it down.” 

“You can’t!” Lance defended quickly. “It’s Christmas, Pidge! Jeez, lighten up!” 

“I’m not getting caught out in some weird tradition! I’ll help you decorate however you want, but I’m drawing the line at mistletoe!” 

Hunk looked down to the Green Paladin, brow raised at her outburst. “Do you really hate it that much?” 

"Honestly? I think the idea of mistletoe is  _embarrassing_ and also it’s entrapment.” 

“Well...you’re not totally wrong I guess?” 

“ _Hunk_!” 

“But I don’t think it’s gonna hurt anyone. It’s not like we don’t all know it’s there.” 

“Thank you!” 

Allura cleared her throat as she raised a hand in question. “I’m sorry, but I still don’t quite understand. What is it that’s causing Pidge to be so upset about the...mistlefoe?” 

“Mistletoe,” Pidge clarified. “It’s used in a dumb Earth tradition.” 

“If you’d like, Princess,” Lance slid in with all the ease he usually did. “I can demonstrate the tradition to you? We just have to go stand underneath it and I can-!” 

The whirring of the door opening cut Lance off as the Paladins looked up to find two of their comrades walking through the door. Shiro stood to one side as he allowed Keith through the door first, the pair of them wrapped up in a conversation that the rest weren’t privy to, though judging from Krolia’s name drop it was probably about Keith’s time away. Shiro always seemed eager to ask questions on Keith’s time away from the rest of the team, whether it was to do with asking questions for space-time anomalies for Sam or just out of his own curiosity. 

The pair stopped in their tracks as they saw the others staring at them. Pidge shot Lance a pleased look now his plan was ruined, Lance seemed to be gritting his teeth and shifting his weight about nervously, while Hunk shot his friend a concerned look. It was in fact Allura who tipped the pair off on what was hanging over their heads. 

Her blue eyes flickered between them and the ceiling, as if she was waiting for something. 

Shiro looked up first. 

“What’re you guys staring at?” 

He tapped Keith on the shoulder at the question to bring his attention to the innocent plant. 

The explosion that followed was to be expected. 

“Lance, is this your idea of a joke?” 

The tanned boy exploded back. “I didn’t do anything! Someone else put it up!” 

“Who else would put this up?!” 

“Who cares, it’s just a plant.” 

Allura’s voice was a little more forceful this time as she asked: “I’m sorry, but I’m still confused. They’re under the mistle-toe, now what happens? Is it supposed to react in some kind of festive-way?” 

“The people who get caught under it are supposed to kiss,” Hunk explained. “It’s just meant to be a silly, light-hearted thing.” 

A few emotions flickered across the Altean’s face. First was annoyance, shooting Lance a disapproving look as she realised what he had tried to do, confirming Pidge’s theory of ‘entrapment’. The next was surprise as she turned to the pair who  _were_ trapped, followed by a bright smile of joy with: “Oh, how charming! Will it not let you go until you kiss?” 

“No, it doesn’t do anything. It’s just some twigs. They can walk away,” Lance narrowed his eyes at the Red Paladin who was staring back at him. “Right, Keith?” 

Keith held his gaze steady, jaw clenched at the unspoken challenge that Lance had presented him with through the bitter words. It didn’t take him long to make up his mind as he spun on his heel to face Shiro and-! 

The taller man leant down, placed a gentle kiss on Keith’s temple, before turning to the others with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. “Now that’s out of the way, can I ask if you lot have any other surprises for us?” 

Allura gave a small cheer and cooed at the action, before stepping forward and grasping Shiro’s attention as she began to engage him in a conversation on what other sort of strange Earth oddities went along with this Christmas holiday that she had been briefed on by the Holts recently. Once they were out of sight Hunk and Pidge turned to see Lance seething in spot as he glared at Keith who shot back a smug expression. 

Pidge had no doubt in her mind that Keith didn’t know why he was gloating a victory, and that Lance had no idea exactly why it was making him so worked up. 

In hindsight, when Hunk looked down to the small girl and saw that conniving glint in her eyes, he should’ve ran. 

* * *

It was no surprise that after that one incident, the halls of the Atlas began to explode with decoration. Apparently, years spent in space led the Paladins of Voltron to go a little bit overboard once Christmas had arrived, especially with family now so close. The section of the ship that had been dedicated to the former Castle of Lion residents was overflowing with lights and décor, the Alteans that lived there having been swept up into the Christmas Spirit. 

Keith had to admit, as much as he hated how busy and loud it was...it was kind of nice. 

Christmas had never been a big affair for him. It was another time of the year where lots of people made lots of noise. It was a  _family_ holiday. But he supposed now he sort of had a family to share it with. 

He needed to be more aware of just how meddlesome and annoying  _family_ could be. 

He was heading towards their lounge when he heard the sound of people arguing. He picked up his pace as Pidge and Lance’s voices became clearer and walked quickly towards the lounge in hopes of being able to somehow help, though he wasn’t sure exactly what help he could give. 

He nearly ran into Lance because he was so close to the door, raising a hand to the tanned man’s back in hopes it would help calm his nerves as he asked: “What’s going on here?” 

Pidge’s glasses practically glinted like some kind of evil cartoon villain. A wide smile spread across her face as she raised her finger to point at the pair, though before she could speak Lance was already talking over her. 

“Oh no! Forget it! Whoever’s putting this stuff up has to stop right now, I’m not kissing Keith!” 

That was the statement that had Keith’s eyes snapping to the roof. He let out a huff of frustration as he saw a familiar plant hanging from the ceiling. After his peck with Shiro two days prior, he had noticed about seven different areas of their quarters that had the plant hanging around. He should’ve known he’d get caught up in it at some point. 

“What, you scared?” 

“I-wha-buh-no!” 

Keith could only roll his eyes at their conversation. “Do I not get a say in this?” 

“Yeah, does Keith not get a say in this?!” Lance’s voice pitched a little too high at the end. “Well, Keith?”

As soon as his eyes met the dark blue pools, he hesitated. A smirk formed across his face as the blue eyes widened and Lance’s breath hitched. There was a panic on the man’s face that sent a surge of power through Keith’s veins. 

It wouldn’t hurt to play into one of Pidge’s little schemes this one time, would it? 

“I’m not too scared, no.” 

“That’s-that’s not what I-!” 

“Oh, hear that, Lance? Keith thinks you’re  _scared_.” 

“I’ll show you-!” 

It was Keith’s turn to falter as Lance grabbed his upper arms and leant forward, his cheeks pink and his nose scrunched up as he went in for a kiss. There was a moment where Lance paused, getting so close but not quite closing the gap. 

Keith leant forward. Just an inch. 

It couldn’t have lasted more than five seconds. A firm press of lips to lips, Lance’s fingers twitching Keith’s hands settled around Lance’s forearms. But it was enough to spark a hot emotion. Something that Keith acknowledged privately in his mind, like a blissful realisation that explained so many things. Enough that when it ended and Lance pulled back, yet stayed close enough that Keith could still feel breath ghosting across his face, Keith couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. 

“See? I’m not scared!” 

Keith gave a low chuckle. “I guess not.” 

But when Lance turned to gloat to the tiny gremlin that had put him in this position, he found her missing. Keith tried to spot her amidst the various boxes and decorations, wondering if it was possible for her to camouflage herself in all the green. 

The air grew awkward as Lance turned back to Keith with a red face and a gaping mouth, completely lost for words. Keith felt his own face warm up as he gave a small shrug with the smile still lingering on his face. 

“Thanks, I guess?” he licked his lips and began to turn. “Catch you later, Lance.” 

“Yeah, uh, catch you later.” 

Whatever had ignited in that moment started a ball rolling in their brains, as Lance’s fingertips touched his warmed lips and Keith found his heart beating heavily against his ribcage. Whatever had ignited begged an answer to a question that Lance wasn’t sure he was quite ready to answer. 

* * *

Teaching Coran and Allura about Christmas had proven to be its own excitement. Coran, as always, had various Altean traditions that seemed similar – if a little deadlier. Their events that involved feasts seemed to also involve actively duelling with the beasts that they would serve for food, stories that Allura listened to with wistful eyes and nods of approval. Sometimes Lance wasn’t sure that they weren’t the ones being played for fools with the stories that would be told. 

When they approached  _another_ hanging plant from the ceiling Coran seemed to burst with energy as he got to experience the very thing that Allura had told him about. They cooed and awed over the cute and whimsical traditions of the Earthlings, both thrilled by the prospect as Lance approached it in almost a trance. 

The very sight of the invasive plant left him reeling, lips tingling and fingertips twitching, just as they had during his kiss with Keith. There was a question that still lingered in the dark parts of his brain, not quite answered. Not quite acknowledged. 

Yet the feelings weren’t all good. He remembered the look in the violet eyes as they stared into his own, that usual challenging smirk that begged him to respond. But he also remembered the way they widened in shock framed with a faint flush as Shiro leant down to place a gentle kiss on Keith’s forehead, leaving a pang of  _something_ in Lance’s chest, bitter and swelling. 

He always knew he admired Shiro. And recently? He wasn’t so stubborn he couldn’t admit he admired Keith too. And he  _knew_ they didn’t think poorly of him, so why...? 

“Lance, are you alright?” stormy grey eyes encompassed his vision, a cold hand taking hold of his shoulder. “You look a little dazed.” 

“Shiro...?” 

Dark brows pulled together. “Is something on your mind?” 

Allura reacted to the situation before he had a chance to. 

“Oh, it’s happened again! Now you have to kiss, correct?” 

“Oho! I see, I see! Quite an adorable little tradition really, isn’t it?” 

Lance turned to face the Alteans with wide eyes at the suggestion. “Well, it’s not  _compulsory_ -!” 

“Nonsense, we must keep up the festive spirit!” Allura had a fire in her eyes as she spoke, bright smile on her face. 

He spun round as he felt something brush across his hair, tuned to the sense of movement close by. He wasn’t expecting to come face to face with Shiro, who faltered in his movement once he realised where his chaste smooch would end up landing. 

They stood there, inches apart, and Lance couldn’t pull his eyes away from Shiro’s lips. 

The feeling was alarmingly similar to how his heart had raced when he had approached Keith, a bubbling in his chest that he couldn’t deny was excited anticipation as his mind raced with nothing other than the knowledge that this was a person he was about to kiss. The reaction Shiro gave all but crushed it. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-!” he cleared his throat as he straightened his back, ridged and formal. “Lance is right, it’s not compulsory.” 

There was a whine of disappointment from the Alteans. Lance was quick to recover, covering any emotion with a charming smile and a good-hearted joke of: “You’re welcome to take his place, Princess?” 

“I should think not,” she shot back, though there were the whispers of a smile on her face. “It’s supposed to be a  _surprise_.” 

Shiro made himself scarce, and before Lance could re-join Allura and Coran there was another man vying for his attention. Keith approached with a firmness to his stride and narrowed eyes and Lance felt fleeting panic as he wondered how much of it Keith had seen. Panic that he had seen Lance be nearly eager. That he’d seen Lance be turned down. 

“I want to talk to you,” Keith’s voice cut through the air like a blade. “In private.” 

Lance huffed out, narrowing his eyes. “What, want to gloat?” 

“About what?” 

“I don’t know,  _Keith_ , that’s why I’m asking.” 

Violet eyes rolled. “Whatever, dude, just come  _on_.” 

Keith pulled him round corridors until they found a quieter spot, and Lance’s tenuous grip on his emotions got weaker and weaker the further they walked. By the time Keith came to a spot it must’ve showed on his face given the pitying look he received. 

“Are you...?” 

“I’m fine. What do you want?” 

“I-I wanted to talk...” Keith’s voice trailed off as his face began to colour with embarrassment. “About the mistletoe, I guess.” 

“I knew you wanted to-!” 

“I’m not here to gloat!” Keith snapped. “He was going to do to you what he did with me! There’s nothing to gloat about, Lance. I just...I have an idea.” 

Lance found himself listening to it despite his better judgement. 

* * *

Shiro liked Christmas just as much as the next guy. It was nice to see your loved ones, and no one in the right mind said no to presents, receiving and giving. The food? Incredible, especially with Hunk in the kitchen on a mission to make their Altean guests their first Christmas meal. He had no doubt in his mind it was going to be a wonderful Christmas, and he knew that the other Paladins deserved it. His crew deserved it, after everything they had done. 

This mistletoe nonsense was starting to grate on his nerves, however. 

He was pretty certain that Pidge had begun to concoct some kind of scheme after overhearing a conversation between her and Hunk on their ‘first victory’. When he’d tried to press her for details, she had brushed him off with the explanation that she wanted to do something special for Keith and Lance. 

“Y’know, you could do something special for them too?” 

He did his best not to think too hard about what that was. 

He started to make a note of all the places that the mistletoe hung, but it seemed to change every day. After his run-in with Lance, he decided that his best decision was probably to simply not stand too close to anyone without having checked the ceiling first. 

He did get a few funny looks when anyone saw him staring at the ceiling while he walked in other parts of the Atlas, but it appeared whichever Paladin was responsible was at least keeping it to their quarters. 

It would be a lie if he said he didn’t feel a little bit guilty for leaving Lance with that look on his face. Shiro could see it well after spending so long with the Blue Paladin. The look he got when there was a crack in his confidence. When his façade dropped for a moment and the insecurity shone through. Part of him wished he’d gone through with it just to take that look away. 

Part of him knew what it would do to his own heart if he did. 

He thought he could bluff his way through like he did with Keith. A simple peck on the head, a few kind words, and move on. 

He just wanted to  _move on_. 

He was reviewing the newest restoration project when one of the Paladin’s approached him, a smile on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes and his hands stuffed in his pockets. Shiro tried not to let himself get too caught up in the idea that he might’ve been the one to cause that lacklustre approach. 

“Lance, do you need something?” 

“Yeah, I was hoping to have a quick chat with you?” Lance asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “If you don’t mind...?” 

“Of course not, what’s on your mind?” 

“Can we...go to the lounge? I feel like I wanna be comfortable for this.” 

He put down his work and agreed without a second thought and followed the tanned man out the room. They made their way through the halls in silence, though it was the way that Lance’s shoulders were hunched that was putting Shiro on edge. He didn’t want to press before he was ready to share. Lance had asked to speak in the lounge and he would wait for them to get there. 

When Lance turned abruptly, pressing a hand to Shiro’s chest in order to stop him, the taller man felt his breath get caught in his throat. That familiar moment of panic that descended when he feared one of them was about to say something they’d regret set in, though he promised himself that he would stay strong as their Captain. 

“Lance?” 

The man gave a shrug and a smile. “Sorry, Shiro.” 

There was a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Keith standing behind him, looking as fierce and fiery as ever. In one hand was a pole, stretching up to dangle one item that Shiro had been desperately avoiding for the past couple of days. 

“Keith,” his voice was low, attempting to warn his friend off whatever he was trying to do. “This is-!” 

“You avoided me,” Keith cut him off half way. “And you avoided Lance. And I don’t think it’s fair.” 

“What are you-?!” 

“I don’t know exactly what goes on in your head...maybe I should try harder, but...I know you well enough. I’ve known you long enough,” Keith looked up with all the resolve and determination that he was known for. That had helped him grow into the strong leader that he was. “I’d like to kiss you, Shiro.” 

He didn’t know what else he’d been expecting. He was surprised to admit that he wasn’t actually that surprised. Like it was expecting it, almost. Maybe not from one of them on their own. He held Keith’s gaze and tried to come up with some words to explain himself, explain his feelings, explain why this was...

Was it a bad idea? 

He didn’t have much more time to dwell on it as Keith’s patience ran thin. The man gave a childish huff and shook the stick, making the decoration at the end jingle. Shiro couldn’t help the chuckle that rumbled in his chest. 

“You put a bell on it?” 

“It came with a bell. Are you gonna kiss me or not?” 

The directness of the statement had him flushing with embarrassment, but rather than panic he felt a warmth spread in his chest at the very  _Keith-like_ actions. He leant down a fraction as Keith met him half way and finally allowed himself a moment to enjoy his feelings. 

He had imagined it, as much as he tried not to. It was softer than he was expecting. Keith's free hand reached out to hold onto his waist and Shiro brought his human hand up to rest at the base of Keith’s neck, feeling a steady pulse under his skin. There was never any betrayal of emotion from the man. Never a waver. Yet he wasn’t controlling or firm. 

Turned out Keith could be pretty gentle when he wanted to be. 

He followed the kiss as Keith began to pull back, eyes flickering open to see a smug smirk on the Red Paladin’s face. Keith gave a second quick peck before he nodded his head to gesture over Shiro’s shoulder. 

Behind him stood Lance, patiently waiting, looking up with an expression that was nothing short of hopeful. 

The tanned man gave a nervous laugh as Keith held the mistletoe above their heads. “I-uh-like I said, it's not compulsory, but – I guess I feel the same as Keith? I mean, I don’t know for sure, it’s all a bit – well, it’s new to me, honestly, this whole – whatever this is, but-!” 

“I’m sorry I refused before,” Shiro poured as much honesty into his words as he could. “If you’d let me, I’d like to start over.” 

Lance ducked his head as a smile broke forth across his face. “That’d be nice.” 

He had never really noticed how much they had both grown until he stood face to face with Lance. Lance, who was once a fraction taller than Keith and now a fraction smaller, as Shiro leant down to press their lips together in a kiss. He made sure not to have any hesitation, even when Lance made no effort to meet him half way like Keith had. He instead tilted his head, allowing it to happen. 

Shiro was sure to express this time enough want that Lance wouldn’t be left with that insecurity. 

It was nice to feel the warm hands against his cheeks as Lance reached up to cup his face as the kiss lingered, noses brushing as they pulled back. Shiro made no real move to back up, and Lance’s only movement was to turn to where Keith stood. 

He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to have upset Keith with having kissed Lance so quickly after, and with the same intensity, but he didn’t need to worry. There was a smile that had blossomed across the dark-haired man’s face that would rival one of Hunk’s cheerful grins with how much happiness it expressed. 

“Is this what you’d wanted to talk to me about, Lance?” Shiro couldn’t help the teasing-reprimand. “You both do know I was working.” 

“The world isn’t going to fall apart at the seams without you there to hold it together,” Keith said with rolled eyes. 

“Yeah, you have to make sure we’re held together sometimes too!” 

There was the sunshine in Lance that was so attractive to him. 

“I suppose it is Christmas,” Shiro confessed. “Perhaps I should take a break. Is there anything in the kitchen?” 

Two hands took his own as he was pulled through the hallways towards their small dining area. 

* * *

It was by no means concrete or perfect. She could see it in the hesitation between them as they navigated this dark area where their relationship was going. But it was  _good_ , and every time they spoke to each other they seemed to  _smile_ , and there wasn’t enough of that going around this holiday. 

“Are you pleased with yourself?” Hunk asked as Pidge pretended to read instead of observing their friends interact. 

“Yeah, I’ve managed to rig all the lights in the Garrison to my computer so I can set the patterns. I’m gonna send out Morse code signals and see how many people pick them up.” 

“I meant about those three!” 

She glanced up to where Lance was animatedly recounting an old Christmas story to Shiro and Keith, sat between them with a bright smile on his face. “Oh, right. Yeah, I’m pretty pleased with myself.” 

“I had my doubts at first, y’know, I try not to meddle too much in my friend’s love lives, and this seemed really complicated? I guess? Is that the word to use? But it’s...nice. They deserve a little happiness.” 

“It’s in the Christmas Spirit and all that,” she agreed with a shrug. “And they do deserve to be happy. I didn’t really do that much. And I think they still have a long way to go.” 

"They're allowed to wait till  _after_ Christmas to think about that though. For now...” 

For now, it was nice to be able to be here spending Christmas with their little family, and watching that family evolve into something even brighter than it was before. 

“So, do you still think mistletoe is embarrassing and entrapment?” 

“Have you seen those dorks?  _So embarrassing_.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always I love open endings that resolve very little because I love to finish my stories so that they're not really finished. Because that's life.


End file.
